Fall 2014 Syllabus
Lake Forest High School
New Media Production
Fall 2014
Instructor
Steve Douglass
Course Overview
This class will teach you how to tell stories visually, in a hands-on way that allows you to make people think, laugh or cry through the video production process. We will critique current media to better understand how story elements affect you as a viewer and producer of media. You will then have the tools to create your own meaningful creative media based on your new media literate understanding of how stories are told in our postmodern world.
Big Ideas and Goals:
New Media is based on "Failing Fast" so you can learn quickly. I want you to take risks, try to solve problems, figure things out and share your experience in our safe classroom community. We learn best from our own experiences and I want you to grow quickly- so fail fast! We get to do that on the very latest platform for visual storytelling- the new MacPro, FCPx and the Digital SLR. We are blessed. We have a professional level studio that provides the opportunity to tell compelling stories to our school community through www.lfhsnewmedia.com. We continued to build the digital portfolio process that helps students get into the top films schools in the nation. We continue to take part in the dual credit program with CLC, offering 3 free credits of college credit for A and B quality work throughout your time in the program. A lot of cool things are happening, so take advantage.
Materials Needed
- You will need at least 1 SDHC card for your personal projects by the end of September. We don't have a book, so this is the only class cost, unless you're late with equipment. You can buy SD cards (Class 6 minimum to work well in the cameras) in the bookstore at a substantially discounted rate- we buy them in bulk and pass along the discount.
- Advanced students need an External Hard Drive to store your video on while working on projects. This also enables you to take work home and keep all of your work during your years in New Media. This enables you to continue to work and develop your projects as you grow more in your understanding of Final Cut Pro and Adobe software packages.
More Words o Wisdom…
- Please come in with clear expectations for what you want to get out of this class, yourself and me as an instructor…it will make your time investment much more enjoyable. If you need help, I’m available around my office- or just email me.
- Personally check out every piece of equipment with Mr. Douglass because you’re financially responsible for all school equipment you check in/out- LATE FEES for equipment will be strictly enforced because we have a very limited amount of expensive equipment we need to keep track of so everyone can use it. EACH LATE CAMERA WILL BE A $5 FINE.
- Challenge yourself to expand your ideas, if you come with something your passionate about, and you develop it well… I want to help you to make it happen.
- There are plenty of places to get involved to help clarify your passion, please be proactive and ask about live shoots, Scout Stories, independent projects, cross curricular projects, helping out Advanced and CP projects…
Telecom 1- 6 Tentative Course Schedule--Check class site for details from each project.
DATE TOPIC
Week 1 Introduction to Media Literacy—
Advanced: LFCity Re-Branding
Week 2 Understanding the Production Process through Critiquing Modern Film
Week 3 How to: Field Production using a Smartphone
Unique Perspectives of LFHS- TA led team project
Week 4 How to: Edit in Final Cut Pro
Week 5 How to: Develop projects in Final Cut Pro
Week 6 How to: Studio Production
Week 7 How to: Studio Production to Multi-camera editing
Advanced Group Project: The story of Lake Bluff
Teacher Interview Project
Week 8 How to: Editing with Interview project
Week 9
End of 1st quarter
Week 10 Finishing Interview project
Week 11
1st Semester Final Project=
Music Video Project or Commercial Project
Week 12
TA 2 week Project- Commercial
Week 13
Week 14
TA 2 week project- Talent Show Comedy
Week 15
Week 16
TA 2 week project- Creativity in the building
Week 17
Week 18
Telecom 2 and beyond- College Prep and Advanced Projects
College Prep (CP) Curriculum:
Shorter projects, averaging 4-5 weeks, are designed for students to be challenged at a high level, with minimal outside of class time needed, so they can grow in all aspects of the production process including: planning, shooting and editing. Project objectives include organization, responsibility with deadlines, working independently and within a team.
Students can choose CP projects and when they show consistent mastery, which will be determined by receiving an A for the complete project (pre-production, production and post-production). After two CP projects they will be given the opportunity to jump up to the Advanced Project.
Student taking on the CP projects will be responsible for 2 Live Production Shoots where they will take leadership by taking one of the key camera positions or directing the shoot.
Advanced Projects (AP):
Students who have mastered CP projects by receiving an A for the completed project will be given the opportunity to take on an Advanced Project which will challenge them with their time management, creativity and production ability. The student will be responsible for 3 Production Shoots where they will either Direct or work in the Control room to lead the crew.
This project-based curriculum will be structured around specific production skills that will prepare students for the Film School application process. Each project will include: Writing, Directing, Cinematography, Producing and Editing. Projects are expected to be of the quality to be shown on lfhsnewmedia.com, lfhs.org and on the LCDs around school. These will build their digital portfolio for college through the inclusion of all aspects of the production process (script, digital storyboards, production calendar, rough cut, rough draft and final draft).
Teaching Assistants:
Experienced students in each class period will have the opportunity to volunteer to be a Teachers Assistant for their class and the program. These students will selflessly MODEL intrinsic motivation in their planning and development of their individual, group and live projects ideas. They lead their peers by example, demonstrating professionalism through every step of the production process with the ultimate goal of creating powerful visual storytelling.
For this program:
- Work directly with 1st Semester students to help teach Final Cut Pro, direct ideation and the actual Studio Production and model on location shooting and directing for the music based project.
- Learn Final Cut Pro through watching additional How To videos to gain enrichment
- TAs receive a custom recommendation for college, gap year or career
- Access to Final Cut Pro while enrolled as a TA in the New Media Program
- They get a plush New Media t-shirt at BONMedia the Friday night before Memorial Day
LF City Re-Branding Advanced Project
Assignment: Create video shorts that individually and collectively help the City of Lake Forest re-brand itself.
Due: One 2-3 minute web based video that could on a specific page on the new lfhs.org website.
Goal: Creating short, quick narratives that connect with the audience immediately and motivate them to want more by watching the next segment. Using music and natural sound together is essential to telling a compelling story. These videos need to look professional and provide context for people checking out the community for the first time.
Pre- Production Process:
Tuesday August 26- Introduce project and brainstorm ideas
Wednesday August 27- Talk through possibilities, create partners and watch relevant examples
Thursday August 28- Meet Susan Kelsey, the Economic Developer for the City of Lake Forest, to go over the project
Friday August 29- Select TAs, update ideation by watching examples
Tuesday September 2- Watch and discuss Her
Wednesday August 3- Finish Her
Thursday September 4- Promised Land Commentary
Friday September 5- Pitch-Proposal in class
Production Process:
Monday September 8- Production Schedule-
Tuesday-Thursday September 9-18 PRODUCTION SHOOTING
Friday September 19- Rough Cut Due with Mr. Douglass
Post- Production Process:
Monday September 22-editing
Tuesday September 23- editing
Wednesday September 24- editing
Thursday September 25- editing
Friday September 26- Rough Draft Due for peer critique Editing
Monday September 29- Editing
Tuesday September 30- Editing
Wednesday October 1- Final Class Critique Due to the Server by the end of the day
Thursday October 2- Class critique in the DMT
Friday October 3- Final version up to lfhstele.com
Rubric-
Pitch Proposal-- 25 points
Production Schedule— 25 points
Production Coordination and Shooting 100 points
Rough Cut in FCP-- 25 points
Rough Draft peer critique in FCP-- 25 points
Final edit due on time-- 100 points
TOTAL PROJECT 300 Points